1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a multi-purpose recreational vehicle adapted to be towed by a towing vehicle, and more specifically, to a combination boat and trailer assembly wherein the combined assembly functions as a trailer home; the boat being separable therefrom for independent use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of trailers to carry and transport boats is well known in the art. Further, recreational vehicles of the type which are adapted to be towed behind a towing vehicle to a campground or like recreational facility are also well known and extremely common in the prior art. Often, these recreational vehicles are towed to a campground near a lake, river or other body of water at which place the user sets up a campsite. Because many recreational vehicle users also enjoy boating when camping at a site near the water, it is often desirous to take along a boat for use as an additional source of recreational enjoyment while camping However, transport of these accessories leads to the problem of having to tow multiple units which is, of course, a dangerous and possibly illegal task.
In an attempt to fulfill the needs of campers and boaters alike, many vehicles have been developed in the prior art which provide for the combination of a recreational vehicle such as a camper or trailer home with a boat. One such vehicle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,545, to Notermann, which discloses a recreational vehicle having the ability to carry an accessory vehicle such as a boat within an interior living space during transport of the vehicle. When the user arrives at the campsite, the boat would be removed from the interior living space and a floor portion is lowered from a top stored position to a bottom operable position wherein the interior of the vehicle can be fully utilized for living space. A similar combination camper and boat vehicle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,486,786, to Howarth, which is directed to a combination camper and boat vehicle for carrying living quarters for campers and a boat including a wheel carriage for supporting the boat wherein a removable portion is retractable within the living quarters for providing space to receive the boat and carriage.
Other combination camper and boat vehicles developed in the prior art in an attempt to fulfill the above-noted needs include the patent to Platt, U.S. Pat. No. 3,522,967. The invention in Platt is directed to a transportable house which is suitable for use as either a pickup camper for placement on a pickup truck or a boat. When mounted on a pickup, the transportable house is affixed to the sidewalls of the flatbed of the truck wherein a combination roof and hull functions as a roof for the house. When the house is tipped over and oriented for use as a boat, the combination roof and hull functions as a boat hull. While the invention, as disclosed in Platt, is useful as both a camper and a boat, there are numerous problems associated with the transportable house structure. First, the use of the transportable house on a pickup truck is not a highly desirous living unit and certainly does not measure up to today's standards for recreational vehicles. When used as a boat, the entire house structure is inverted upside-down in such a manner as to require removal of all loose items within the house. Additionally, the hull design is in no way sufficient to meet today's boating standards.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,693, to Haptonstall, discloses a combination vehicle and boat assembly which includes a prime mover resembling a flatbed truck having a cradle to positionably support a boat thereon. The boat and the prime mover are configured so as to fare into each other providing a unitary appearance. The invention in Haptonstall is primarily directed to eliminating the problem of towing a trailer and boat assembly by combining a motor vehicle and boat into one unitary vehicle. The prime mover, resembling a flatbed truck, is designed to support a specific boat thereon and thus, would not be useful in combination with other boats having a different shape or structure. Further, there is no disclosure in the Haptonstall patent of using the combination vehicle as a recreational vehicle such as a motor home.
Accordingly, there still exists a need in the art for a recreational vehicle which is adapted to be towed behind a towing vehicle to a camping site wherein the vehicle functions as both a trailer home and a boat. More specifically, there is a need for a boat trailer which is specifically structured and dimensioned to carry and support a boat thereon in such a manner as to provide a unitary, aero-dynamic appearance and including interrelating structural features such that the combined assembly functions as a trailer home with the boat being separable for independent use.